Hosiery inspecting machine



NOV. 21, 1944. AMMQN 2,363,380

HOSIERY INSPECTING MACHINE Filed July 17, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I/Vl/ENTOF Nov. 21, 1944- E. AMMON 2,363,380

- HOSIERY INSPECTING MACHINE Filed July 17, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WI/PD RIM/101V,

Nov. 21, 1944. E. R. AMMON HO-SIERY INSPECTING MACHINE 3 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed July 1'7, 1941 Patented Nov. 21, 1944' I Application July, 17. 1941 Serial No. 4o2,824

hosiery inspectingfmachines o'f the. expansible formv type,';instances .ofw,hi'ch are found in my various prior patents, including .No. .l,727,499, granted "September 10,",1929; No.- 2,010,172, granted .August 6, 1935;, No. 2,023,946, granted December 10,; 19 3 5 and,';N0. 2,090,883, gran ted August 24,,1937. Such devices include a stocking supporting form provided with relatively mov-- ablestocking stretching parts adapted to distend the stocking injvarious areas to show up'defects in fabric, seaming andf-looping. s

j The primary 'b'jectlof 'thejinventionis to propletely eliminatediand expansion and collapseof the. 'form parts 'is obtained without conscious effort on the part of the operator;

The objects and advantages referred to are obtained by locating a control member at a point to be contacted by the hand of the operator without conscious or physical efiort as she draws a Vide' an improveduforni o'ff actuating mechanism for expanding "f the inspection'iorm which 'will increase thef fliciency, and minimize-the effort required of themachin'e'operator. v 'Inprevious inspecting'mjachines expansion of the stocking stretching parts off'the form has been" effected; ordinarily {through c a foot pedal. Because substantial DO lei" is required, approximately thirty,pfil ncisf toflstretch the stocking sufliciently for inspection purposes, power driven mechanism, usually a compressed air motor, has

been employed'to actuateithef expansible form parts under control of thepedal device, although in some instances the pedal device has functioned'directly through manual pressure] "With" the prior machine just describedflthe.

operator first drewflthe stockin'g over'the inspec} tion form-with both hands, and then pressed the pedal with'he'r vfootto produce expansion, holding the "pedal depresseduntil" inspection was completedfff-Through release of .'.the pedal the expansible parts were collapsed," the operator then drewthestocking off the form 'by hand, and

stocking ,Qto inspecting position on the form. suchmember'will remain in contact with the operators hand during the normal course of inspection, and will be released as the operator starts. to.' draw the stocking oiT the form after inspection.v U 1 v In. the preferred embodiment of the invention thefcontrol memberjwill be mounted on the body oftlie inspection form adjacent the welt end, and both' it and its cooperating parts are designed to operate extremely easily so as to'be sensitive to alight touch by the hand of the operator. In

the courseof inspection the form must be capable of, partial"rotation to "give abetter View of diffferent circumferential, areas of the stocking, and the control-mechanism is so designed as'to make this possible 'While various specific arrangements of the control mechanism may be used within the scope 'of the invention, it has been found from experiment that many of such arrangements. required an objectionable amount of physical pressure by the operator, and the spe cific arrangement herein shown and described is ew consideredpreierable in avoiding this condifollowing this applied the, next stocking to be] inspected. I i The time for the several operations'just describedjsextremelyshort, and while an operator with-" e3q)' 'ari'en'ce frequires coordination in the movements of yher' hands 'in' manipulating the stocking and of her footin operating the pedal, there is nevertheless required a, considerable amount of conscious 'r'nental eifort in coordinating these'movement's which produces fatigue and theinspection operation" to some extent.

slows down -According to. the present invention the mental factor is eliminated by automatically effecting expansion orthe stretching parts as soon: as-the stocking is L in proper fp'osition on the form and similarly collapsing s'uchfparts following completion; of ins'pectionjwhefithe stocking is to be removed from the form. ""Foo't 'operationis com tion. a i ,Thehand controlled member as described will for practical reasons, as in the case of the former foot control, 'operateto ,efiect movement of the expanding parts of; the form througha motor mechanism and/such application of the inven: tion is shown in the illustrative embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings hereafterto be described. I

In. the drawings: Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a hosiery inspecting machine incorporating they improvements of the present invention, such view showing the supporting table, inspection form, and the operating and control'mechanism; 'Fig. 2 is a top plan view corresponding to Fig. 3 is' an enlarged face view of the motor control valve appearing in Fig. '1;

Figs. '4 and 5 are Side and 'top fragmentary views respectively of one of the c'ontrol' parts;

:Fig. 6 is enlarged fragmentary view in 'front elevatibnof a. portion .of the inspection form together with the associated parts of the control mechanism; and

Fig. '7 is a transverse view looking from the right of Fig. 6.

A table structure generally indicated by reference numeral is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the same being formed of sheet metal and having a series of pockets at its top in which stockings may be placed. Secured to and outstanding from the front of the table near its right end is a bracket member H'L which supports the hosiery inspecting form l2 by securing connection with bearing member i3. (See Fig. '7.) Such bearing member supports the form for rotation so that the form may be partially turned. during.

inspection.

The form l2 includes a plurality ofxrel'ativelv movable stocking stretching parts. mounted for projection outwardly from the body of the form. In the illustrative form are shown toe stretchers. l4, heel. stretcher l5, calf stretcher l6. and circumferentially arranged. welt stretchers IT.

- These parts are expanded" by an. actuating rod I8 stretchers ll.

located axially of the form through suitable cam or other: operating elements which need not be dealt with here" since they are shown. and explained. in my prior patents above referred to.

Mounted inside the table: above shell i9 is a power actuating mean comprising an" air motor 20. The piston rod 2| of the mo't'or'through suitable linkage including. bell crank 22, cross arm 23,, rod and cross arm: 25, connect with actuating rod f8 of the form. Admission of. air to" the air motor 20 forces piston rod.2l' upwardly and through the describedv linkage serves to drive actuating, rod l8 inwardly axially otthe form to. effect progressive expansion of the. stocking stretching. parts located at different longitudinal areas, of the form.

Compressed air ot about. thirty pounds pressure is supplied. to. the air motor under control of valve 26 supported inside. the. left end wall of the table I10". Connecting with the valve structure is a. compressed air. supply line 21 con.- trolled by a suitable valve so as to. be closed. when valve arm 28 is in. its upper position as shown in Figure 3. Downward. movement of arm. 28 will. permit. the passage. of air from supply line 21. through. line. 29. to. the. air. motor 20. and prod'uee expansion of the form asabove explained. The return of arm. 28' to its upper position will. efl'ect closing of line 21' and permit the air from. the expansion motor.- to. flow baokwardly through line. 29. and exhaust. to. the atmosphere. through.

outlet, 30.. The valIvestructureZb isnot shown Y beneath shelf IS. The present invention utilizes a different arrangement for operating the stretching parts of the inspection form, and preferably utilizes the old control valve 26 and air motor 20 although not necessarily limited to operation through such arrangement.

As above explained the present invention is designed to enable the inspection machine operator to effect expansion of the stocking stretching parts of a inspection form at the appropriate time without conscious effort}. For this purpose use is made of a control plate so positioned as to be contacted by the hand of the operator,

' and caused to eifect expansion of the stocking stretchers when the welt of a stocking is drawn by the hand to its proper inspecting position ad-' jacent. the; right end of the form over welt The control plate is so arranged that the hand of the operator may conveniently remain. in contact therewith without effort during inspection of the stocking, including partial rotation of the inspectionform, and will be released at the time the operator, is; ready to start removing the. stocking from the: form. to eflect collapse of the stocking stretchers. prior to such removal. I

In thepreferred embodiment. ot'the invention. the control member takes the form of a plate 32 mounted on the. form 12 itself at, the welt end. As best shown in Figs. 6 and 7., control" plate 32is' mounted on a. stud. 33 at. its left end seating in an aperture 3'4 in. the body of form l2 and normally held in its inclined raised position as shown by'ali'ght leaf spring 35. which yields readily to permit plate 32. to be depressed against, the form body with a relatively light contact by the hand of theoperaton A stud bolt 36 extending ti'nlough opening 31 in the form body maintains; plate 32- in. alignment. with the form and is adjustable to determine the outer position of. plate: 3.2 relative to. the. form body.

An arm 38' is pivotally mounted .atr 3.9 on the form supporting bracket. H. as. best. shown in Fig. 2 carrying a cam portion 40 having an. inclined face which coacts witha small! roller, 4;! mounted at the outer. end of control plate. 32.. As best shown in Fig- 4,, the. cam. 40 hasan elongated arc-shaped contour so that. roller 41. may con-- tact thesame in. di'fi'erent. rotative positions: of the inspectionform. IE2., Sincein. actual practice the form is turned. through only arel-atively small angle. during a complete inspection operation, somewhat, less. than. 90. cam 40 is: notundul-y long. It's. shape willconformto the; arcuate path of travel of roller 41 as. the form-I rotates about. its centralaxis.

The cam-carrying] arm 3.8. at. its inner. end. connects with rod 42, and the latter connects: with bell crank 43 mounted. on the. front of the, table 10 near its. left'end. The bell crank in turn. connects: with. vertical. rod. 4.4. which opererable to reduce the discharge opening after a portion of the" air has exhausted from the air motor that the residualair' in the motor will exhaust more slowly and prevent the stretching parts of the fornr trom reaching their collapsed position: with a shock: Anysuitabl'e. pressure responsive auxiliary valve may be employed for this purpose and. as in. the: caserof my prior machines, will be located in coupling member 31. positioned between the main valve structure 26 and theoutlet 30-.

In. my prior. machines. the valve arm 28 was operated by a foot pedal mounted in the-table.

ates arm. 28. of.v the. control valve 26 previously described.

Depression of. control plate32-v towards the form; fromthe position shownin Fig- 6. causes roller 4 I. thereon. to ride. downwardly along the inclined; suriace. of cam. 40, therebyforcing the. cam. to: the right. This swings the cam-supporting arm 38. to. move. rod 42 to theleft, and. through bell crank 43. to. move rod. 44 and valve-arm. 28' down.- wardly. Thereby pressure is. supplied. through valve 26. to air motor: 20: and the. stocking stretch? as. of the term. areexpanded. through. the mechanism previously explained. When. control plate 32. is. released and raised again. roller 4|. allows :cam:40"to again moveztothe right and through depress the same... It is evident, of course, that suitable'means mustbe provided toswing the 'camsupporting arm 38- to the left as plate 32 is raised in order that the air-motor may be exhaustedthrough valve- 26:5If spring means be provided which 'constantly 'urge's cam arm 38 to theleft, it is obvious that the resistance thereof operator in depressing control plate" 32, thereby decreasing thesensitivity'of th'e plate and re- 'quiring more pressure than desirable to eifect depression thereof. 'To avoid thisspring means is -utilized in' association with arm 38 which is operative only intermittently. Such 'means' will b'einoperative at the time plate 32is depressed so that no resistance is oifered to'movement of-cam 40-to the "rightpand becomes operative only after the plate has been depressed. This feature includes a small ro'dj45 pivotally con-' nected to arm 38 behind cam 40 upon which is slidably mounted a 'coil spring 46. The outer end of rod 45 extendsthrough cross' arm '25 'would have to be overcome by the handof the the :air therefrom so that actuating rod I8 and arm '25 move-to the'right and allow the'stretching partsof the form tocollapse. The action of spring '46 on cam 40. further assists in rais ing the control plate32, and for this reason the plate supporting leaf spring 35 need be'only a light one. In the movement of' actuating rod 18' and arm to the right during the collapse of the stretching parts spring 46 is released from compressive engagement with'carn 40 so as not to'resist movement of the cam to the right when control'plate 32 is again depressed when the next stocking isdraw'n' onto the form for inspection;

It has been found in practice that the improved arrangement controlling the inspection form requires no conscious eifort on the part of the operator for its operation. The hand which draws the stocking on the form without extra movement operates the control plate because of the-position of such plate on the form body, and without physical exertion because of the nature of the mechanism through which the plate operates. The operator is able to carryout the in-' throughwhich the stretcher actuating rod I 8 is operated'by the air motori As arm 25 is moved to -the'left, it slides inwardly on rod 45, thereflby compressing spring 46 against the/back of cam and creating a tension which serves to swing aim38 to the left isreleased."

at the time control plate 32 The complete operation of'the machine will now be briefly summarized; The operator draws a" stocking over the toe end-of the form, at which time the" stocking stretchers are collapsed. As

the stocking is drawn'to its inspecting position on the form through the grasp of the operators right hand with the stocking"we'lt,""the hand slides along control plate 32 and depresses the sme- Such" movement through roller 4I and cam 40 swings arm 38 to the'right anol results in the admission of pressure to the air motor 20 through valve 26. Through the leverage component of arm 38 and the lightness of spring35, plate 32 can be depressed with only a light contact pressure to operate valve 26. The admission of air to the motor moves arm 25, and therethrough stretcher actuating rod I8 of the form to the left, expanding the stocking stretch ing parts of the form. The operator then in,- spects the stocking for defects, and because of the shape of cam 40 is able to partially rotate the form without interfering with the operative engagement of roller 4| with the 'arcuate cam face. Such roller merely slides'lengthwise of thecam. When the stocking has been inspected,

the right hand of the operator, which maintains a grasp on the welt of the stocking during the entire time, releases the plate and starts to draw the stocking to the left off the form. Spring 46,

which did not act on cam 40 and arm 38 at the timeIplate 32 was depressed, was tensioned against the cam by arm 25 during the expansionof the form stretching parts. At the time, therefore, plate 32 is released by the hand of the operator, spring 46 acts on cam 40 to move erating arrangement this cuts of the supply of operating pressure to the air motor and exhausts the same to the left. Through the described opless fatigue.

specting operation more ,expeditiouslyand with The inventionoffer's definite advantages over the old machine utilizing a pedal control which was'operated by the foot of the operator. It will be understood that the embodiment of thetinvention herein described is merely illustrative and is not tobe taken as limiting the invention In particular it will be understood that the inspection form'may be of different construction than herein shown, and that other means than an air motor may he used for effecting expansion of the form in association with the inventive structure. The scope of the invention is therefore to be limited only as required'hy the scope of the'appended claims.

I claim: I 4 I -1. In a hosiery inspecting machine, a stocking receiving form. having movable stocking stretching parts; motor means 'for expanding said stocking stretching parts, and control means for said motor means including a. depressible hand, control; plate adapted'when depressed to energize the motor means, and a mounting supporting said control plate adjacent the welt end portion of the form so as to becontacted and depressed by the hand of the machine operator moving lengthwise of the form while the hand is engaged in drawing the upper portion of a stocking to inspecting position over the welt end portion of the form.

ing on the form adjacent the welt end portion of the form for movement relative to the form by the hand of the machine operator from one to the other of its motor-controlling positions while said hand is engaged with a portion of a stocking on the welt end portion of the form.

3. In a, hosiery inspecting machine, a stocking receiving form having movable stocking stretching parts, a manually operable member mounted on the form and disposed closely adjacent the surface of the formso as to be located interiorly of the stocking when the stocking is -rdrawn-onto the tform, :said control member being actuatable by the hand of the machine operator. in manipu :ga'ged in manipulating a stocking on the form,

and being so positioned as not to interfere with the manipulation of the stocking on and off the form.

, 5. Ina hosiery inspecting machine, a support, a stocking receiving form having movable stockingstretching parts and mounted on'said support for rotation, a control member rotatable with the form mounted on the formadiacent the welt end thereof and adapted to be engaged by the hand of the-machine operator-in drawing a stocking on the 'form, a roller on said control member, a cam member mounted independently of the form and'actuatable by said roller in different rotative positions of the form-and means operated through said cam member for expanding the stocking stretching form parts.

'6. Ina hosiery inspecting machine, a stocking receiving form having movable stocking stretching parts, a manual control member mounted on theform and-adapted tobe actuated by the hand of the "machine operator while the hand is engaged in drawing a stocking on the 'form, a, movable cam member opposing the control member, a cam engaging part on the control member adapted to actuate the cammember upon movement of the control member, and'means operated through said cam member for expanding the stocking stretching form parts.

'7. In a hosiery inspecting machine, a stocking receiving form having lmovablerstocking stretching parts, a control plate extending lengthwise offythe'rorm having its inncrend hinged to the form and having its outer end located adjacent the welt end extremity of the form, spring means yieldingly holding the outer end of said plate away from the form and providing for depression of the plate by the hand of the operator in drawing a stocking on the form, a cam engaging part mounted on the outer end of the plate, a cam member mounted independently of the form coactive with said cam engaging part, and means operative through said cam member for expanding the stocking stretching form parts.

8. In a hosiery inspecting machine, a stocking receiving form having movable stocking stretching parts, a manual control member mounted on and projecting outwardly from the form and depressible towards the vform by the hand of the machine operator in drawing .a stocking on the form, an actuating arm mounted independently of the form opposing said controlmember and a'ctuatable upon depression of the control memben, motor means responsive to said actuation of said actuating arm to efiect expansion of the stocking stretching form parts, and means becoming operative through expansion operation of said motor means for reversely moving said actuating arm when the control member is released. I

9. In va hosiery inspecting machine, a stocking receiving form havingv movablestocking stretching parts, a manual control member mounted on the form and positioned adjacent one end of the form, said manually actuated member projecting laterally from the form for engagement and easy movement by the hand of the machine operator while the hand is drawing a, stocking on the form, motor means responsive to movement of the control member for expanding the movable stocking stretching form parts, and spring means for urging the control member to return to its starting position upon release by the hand of the operator and rendered operative to .act on the control memberiby the motor means in effecting expansion of the stockingstretching form parts. i

EDWARD R. AMMON. 

